Reaching and navigating Leh is heavily dictated by its extreme geography.
**Air:** The city is served by the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL), one of the highest commercial airports in the world. It provides year-round connectivity to major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Srinagar, and is the only way in or out during the winter.
**Roads:** Leh is connected to the rest of India by two spectacularly scenic but treacherous highways: the National Highway 1 (connecting to Srinagar) and the Leh-Manali Highway. Both roads cross multiple high-altitude passes and are completely closed by heavy snow for about six months of the year (November to May).
**Local Transit:** Within the city and surrounding districts, public transportation is handled by the Jammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) buses and private minibuses. Shared taxis and hired SUVs are the most common ways for tourists and locals to reach remote monasteries and villages. The city itself is highly walkable, though the altitude requires acclimatization.
